Sweet Young Brother
by Dying Heart Alchemist
Summary: What if Alphonse wasn't the cute, loveable kid we all know and love? What if it was just a mask, and the only one who knew was the one getting the worst of it? Edward indured the beatings after their mother's death to comfort Al, but after the years he grew afraid of his younger brother. One-shot till I get enough people saying to go on.


**Just some thing that popped into my head one day.**

**I just thought 'What if Alphonse wasn't the sweet and loveable kid every one thinks?' and it escalated after that. **

**Disclaimer: Do not own, never will. **

Sweet Young Brother

Ch.1

Ed tugged the hem of his left sleeve down as he walked towards the Eastern Command Headquarters. He fidgeted if someone got too close to him, not wanting anyone to see the yellowing bruises that scattered his body. Though he didn't have to worry since they were well hidden beneath the tank top, jacket, and red over coat he always wore even in the blistering heat of the summer.

He had to report in to Colonel Mustang about there last failure in Leor. He stepped lively, wanting to get the report turned in so he could get the hell out of there before someone got concerned as to why he was limping. Though he hid it well, just like the bruises, but he could only fake walking alright for a short time.

As he hurried to the third floor office of that bustard of a colonel he could hear his little brother's loud hollow footsteps just inches behind him. Again he tugged at his sleeve just sparing a glance to make sure everything was hidden. Since it was the day after, Edward was really sore and grumpy. Al had not gone easy on him yesterday.

Alphonse had always kept up the 'sweet little brother' act, but Ed knew otherwise. He had know since they were kids. Even his mother didn't even know that Ed had lied about the scrapes, cuts, and bruises. He always lied and blamed them on being a reckless boy, like falling out of a tree or tripping on something or another.

The beating had begun when he was seven and Al was six. All though he didn't like admitting it, Alphonse was always a little bigger and stronger then he was. Edward took after his father in looks but his mother in build. Al was the opposite; he looked like Trisha but was strong like Hoenheim. Taking this into account, Al had always won the small scrimmages and fights between the brothers.

One day their mom left them home alone as she when over to a family friend's house to give them some of there home grown vegetables, Ed and Al had stayed home to study alchemy.

Ed was getting pretty good at the basic transmutations where Alphonse was having some difficulties. Edward had just finished making a small dog out of a plank of wood, it was almost perfect. Al on the other hand had tried to make a cat out of his plank, what came out though was a deformed blob that faintly resembled a cat. Al was getting pretty frustrated and when he looked over to his brother his anger grew seeing the proud smile plastered on Ed's face.

"Give me that!" he commanded in an angry voice. Ed looked at his brother and blinked.

"N-no, I made it so it's mine." Ed said in a stuck up voice.

"Give it to me!" He yelled as he tackled Ed causing him to drop the wooden dog as their fight escalated.

Ed didn't fight back as much as he should of, but his mother had always told him to look after Al. Even when he was angry, Ed never wanted to actually hurt his brother. Al on the other hand lashed out at Edward with all his strength, and since Ed had a problem excepting that his little brother was stronger he just took it. By the time Al had calm down enough to stop. Ed was bleeding from the nose, mouth, and various scratches. Al paid no attention to him crumpled on the floor and walked up to the toy Ed had made. He looked over the small dog that looked like Den, the puppy Winry had just got from her parents. When he was done he just frowned and tossed it over his shoulder and it landed inches in front of Ed's face.

"Dogs are stupid." Alphonse said dryly and left the room.

Edward slowly grabbed the dog and pulled it near his chest. He laid there for a minute before painfully picking himself up of the floor. Both his arm and head hurt a lot more than any of the other places Al's fist or foot hit. He slowly left the room and headed for the kitchen to find a rag to clean up the study. Once all the blood was gone from the floor, he heard his mother opening up the door. Making a split decision he hid the rag and ran as fast as his injured body could take him stopping in front of the stairs and lied down.

"Edward, Alphonse! Where are yo- OH MY GOD EDWARD!" She turned the corner and spotted him lying there still covered in his blood.

"I-I fell d-down the s-stairs." He lied. He didn't want to blame his brother.

"Oh my poor baby! ALPHONSE, COME AND HELP ME!" She called and Al poked his head around the corner at the top of the stairs.

"Yes, Mother?" he asked innocently.

"Ed fell down the stairs, please come and help me." she asked turning around before she could see Al's confused face but since Ed had his arms around his mother neck he could see Al face clearly. His confused look was quickly replaced with a frown and a glare directed at Ed. Ed winced when he saw the hate in his little brother's eyes but that too disappeared as soon as Al reached their mother's side. He was back to innocent little brother mode, fake concern in his eyes.

"Are you alright, Brother? I thought I heard some loud thumping but I thought that you were just practicing alchemy." Ed was half glad that Al followed the story but half sad he didn't take responsibility or at least told their mom he was the one that pushed him down the stairs, even if it was still a lie.

Once they reached the kitchen, Trisha set Ed down on the top of the counter. Ed leg go of around her neck and sat down gently. She got busy grabbing some rags and dousing them in water. Soon she was back in front of him wiping the blood from his face and every where else.

"What happened sweetie? How did you fall down the stares, and how long were you there before I came home?" Their mother asked when she had cleaned most of him up.

"I wasn't there long, and I guess I wasn't paying attention were I was going and thought that the stares were farther away then they were." He said as his brother glared dagger in him from behind their mother's back. Al had always told on Ed when ever he did something even little like a pinch, but Al had always over exaggerated it to a hit or a slap. So Ed telling their mom that it was nothing but an accident made Al look like a jerk.

Their mom reached a particularly nasty bruise on his right arm and he flinched away at the pressure. Trisha frowned and tried a little lighter but it still hurt a lot.

"I'm afraid that you might have broke your arm, dear. I think we should go see Granny, to see for sure and fix it if it is." She finished cleaning him up and they headed over to the Rockbell's house that was just down the road. Pinako wasn't really there Grandmother but she was really close to the Elrics.

Ed was carried by their mom again and Al followed behind. This time Ed couldn't see Al's face so he was relatively calm. When they reached the Rockbell's, who were auto-mail mechanics and doctors, Trisha explained what had supposedly happened and asked Granny Pinako for her help. Pinako ushered them in and took them to one of the hospital like rooms of the house that they use for the auto-mail surgeries.

His arm was indeed broken and he had to have a cast put on. It was itchy and very inconvenient. Through out all the six weeks he had it on he kept knocking things over and hitting it on doorframes and tables. He also had lots of bruises and almost had a concussion from were he hit his head when Al had thrown him on the floor.

Al never asked why Ed didn't tell he just acted like he really did fall down the stairs. He would tease him in front of their mother about being clumsy, and since his mother was always there Ed couldn't defend himself with the truth. Although he did consider telling their mom the truth now and then but never did.

Then their mother grew sick. Both Trisha and Ed got sick easily and had over all poor health. So when a deadly virus swept the country of Amestris, it came and claimed their mother and almost got Ed too.

In the weeks that led up to Trisha Elric's death, Ed was barley aloud to see her since he could catch the decease too. Al was freely aloud to see their mom but had to wash his hands and take precautionary measures so he didn't get sick or get Ed sick. Though when their mom felt better then normal Ed was aloud to see her, although that was rare. When the day came were the brothers had to say good bye to their mother on her death bed both boys cried heavily. As she left this world she told them to look after each other.

After the funeral a few days later, the two remaining Elrics got home late once the sun had already set. Ed had gone strait to the room he shared with Al, while Alphonse went to the kitchen to get something to munch on. Ed slid in to his pajamas with out much of a thought and climbed into bed.

A little while later Al came in, Ed was half asleep by then. Edward was then surprised with a hard punch in the stomach then one in his face. Then when he was still recovering he was roughly yanked out of bed, he stared up into Al's angry eyes while he pulled back another punch. This time it connected to Ed's chest, effectively knocking the wind out of him. The younger one then dropped the older one and continued to kick him in the stomach, face, and ribs. This was continued and the kicks and punches just kept coming.

"A-Al, why?" he managed to say between the kicks and hits.

"Mother died! We'll never see her again! I don't know why but it helps me to beat something up, and you are softer then a tree to punch!" Al said near crying as liquid streamed out of his eyes.

Al stopped after that and broke down on his bed crying hard. Ed used his bed to help him stand up. Once that was achieved he stumbled to his crying little brother. He laid a hand on Alphonse's shoulder. Al jerked up at the touch and stared at Ed. Ed leaned down and kissed his brother's forehead then hugged him. Al stiffened a little before melting in to his big brother who he just beaten up. Al cried in to Ed's shoulder till he fell asleep.

After Ed tucked Al in, he slowly made his way out of the room to the bathroom. He took a quick shower then returned back to the room and fell asleep. Edward didn't hold any bad feeling at his brother, if not understanding. Even if he didn't feel as violent as Al, he still understood. His mother had told them to look after each other, if Al didn't keep up his end, still Ed will.

Al beat Ed up a few more times in the months after but Edward just bared with it and comforted Alphonse when he needed it. But it wasn't long until Ed grew a fear for his younger brother's wrath. In the time they trained in alchemy at a teacher's house Al left him alone, that was until the night of the failed transmutation. Al had woke up as a suit of armor and Ed had two less limbs he should have had. Al just punched Ed in the face for messing up knocking him out before taking him next door and acting like the nice little brother he was so good at pretending to be.

After that the beatings got more frequent and fiercer. Al would yell how it was Ed's fault he was an unfeeling piece of metal and how he hated him. Ed never said anything in his defense though blocking the harder blows so he could pass of the effects of the beatings as nothing but an excuse of sleeping wrong or over training. Even after he joined the military, when ever he failed at a lead in the stone or Al just felt mad at something, Ed was always at the receiving end of it.

**Knock, Knock, Knock.**

"Come in," a smooth voice answered behind the door.

Ed walked, or more like strutted, in and plopping onto one of the couches in front of the Colonel's desk. He yawned loudly then turned to the Flame Alchemist.

"Morning, Bustard!" he said grinning.

"Morning, Fullmetal. Is it just me or did you shrink?" The Colonel replied with out missing a beat.

A tic appeared on Ed's forehead but his grin didn't drop.

"Not at all. Well here's my report, see ya!" He slapped the manila folder on the desk and started towards the door.

"Wait a minute, Fullmetal. I have to read it through first. Them maybe you can leave." Ed deflated at his commanding officers words and slinked back to the couch and sat down hard. Luckily it was a very cushiony couch because if it wasn't he would really be hurting now, with or with out all of his current injury's.

As the Colonel read through the report he made a small 'hmm' or 'aww' once in a while. Then when he seemed to be done he snapped the folder shut and moved his eyes onto Ed.

"So another failure," he said making Ed more annoyed "Wasn't this one of the most substantial lead you had?"

"Maybe," He replied.

"And to think that it was a fake stone…" Mustang said trying to provoke the boy, and it succeeded.

"How the heck was I suppose to know that it was a fake" Ed jumped to his feet but immediately regretted it when the world started to spin. Clutching his head he slowly sat back down hissing as he did so. When he looked back up the Colonel and the first lieutenant were looking at him with concern.

"Why does when ever you get back from a mission you're always beat up? Do you try and pick fights with the enemy?" Roy asked looking over his subordinate with a more careful eye then when he first came in.

Mustang noticed that Fullmetal was a shade paler then usual and he was holding himself tenderly. Through his hard exterior Roy was actually a very fatherly guy and he was very concerned about his youngest solider.

"I just got a little banged up from my fight with Cornello that's all. He sicked a freaking lion-crocodile Chimera on me! What do you expected me to look like?" Ed snapped back as he shifted his weight onto his auto-mail leg to ease the pain a little. This didn't go unnoticed by the two officers still looking over him intently.

"Maybe you should take a few days off to heal." The Colonel suggested.

A quick flash of fear when across Ed face but was gone the second it had appeared, neither would have noticed if they weren't train for it. He stole a quick glance at his brother in the corner of the office. Again this was not missed by the two trained military personals. They shared a glance of their own before Ed started talking again.

"I-I don't need that, it isn't that bad. Just let us go so Al and I can get on with our search." He tried to sound firm and managed it pretty well.

Off the top of his head Roy tried to think of an excuse that he could give to Ed to make him take it easy for a while. The perfect thing came to mind.

"Hold on Fullmetal, I got an assignment for you before you can continue your research." He smiled knowing that he will think it a waist of time, which it was but he just needed something to keep Ed off his feet for a little bit. Ed scowled and sat back down on the couch.

"What?" he asked clearly annoyed.

"There have been reports of something stealing shoes from people's feet here in East City. At first we thought that it was just some prank calls but when more came in and we learned the details of the shoes stealing we were forced to look in to it." Ed's scowl grew as the Colonel droned on about the mission.

"Why the fuck does it have to be me? Why can't some one else take this stupid mission? It's pointless." Ed said as he sunk deeper in to the couch.

"Well it came in my paperwork and everyone else is on another mission. Besides the reports lead us to believe that it may be an intelligent Chimera. I thought you would be interested." Mustang had to get the fourteen year old to think that it was a little worth it to look into, and Ed did perk up at the mention of an intelligent Chimera.

"Fine I'll take it, but don't expect me to take forever on it. I'll find this thing and capture it in less then a week." He said as he snatched up the file on the mission, "can I please go now?" he asked.

"Sure, but I'll hold you to that." He had to yell the last part as the kid was halfway down the hall outside his office by then.

The Colonel sighed.

"Sir," Riza said in a questioning voice.

"Yeah, I know. I don't know were he gets so beat up all the time. I know he is a very good fighter and not at all clumsy. I should know he beat me with out as much as a burn from my alchemy." His brows came together in thought.

"Did you notice his limp Sir?" She asked.

"Hmm, no I didn't." he said a little supersized, "Well I guess that's why they call you the Hawk's Eye. You don't miss a thing do you?" he asked.

"No I don't. But about Ed, he was hiding it pretty well; if he hadn't been hurrying out I would have never noticed it. It looked like it hurt a lot by the look on his face." She said.

"What about Al? Did he seem to know? I was to busy looking over Ed's injuries to look at him." Roy asked his lieutenant.

"Actually he seemed disconnected when we were asking about Ed." She replied.

"Oh," was all he could say.

Ed stayed true to his word and caught the Chimera in five days. It was a dog and a lizard mixed. Apparently the dog had a large liking for shoes and the lizard was a male so it had the impulse to build a nest, so when the two interests met the Chimera wanted to make a nest out of shoes. The creator was an ex-state alchemist who lost his license when he didn't turn in a good enough yearly evaluation. Once that was over Ed and his brother went back to researching the philosopher stone.

That was until scar came along.

**I do not know if I will continue this, I have a great story line in store for it but if I don't get that many reviews then I probably won't. **

**People, please, I really want to continue this, and I think you would like what I have in my brain for this story.**

**Peace out,**

**DyingHeartAlchemist **


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